The Beast and the Rose
by Howling SheWolf
Summary: It's Valentine's Day and Captain Zakari gets a surprise from his newest member Akemi. A little shocked and confused, find out what he plans to do about it? One shot, 2/3 Kenpachi mini series!


People stared in awe as they watched Captain Zakari stand in front of a flower stand. Ikkaku was walking by, suddenly stopping when he spotted his Captain looking at the flowers. Yumichika bumped right into him.

"Ikkaku would you please warn me the next time you randomly stop." He said brushing his hair out of his feathers. Ikkaku nudged Yumichika and pointed over to their Captain. Yumi watched in amusement.

"He looks uncomfortable." Ikkaku said just watching as Captain Zakari stare at the flowers a sweat drop falling down his head.

"Captain! Oh Captain!" Yumichika called skipping over to his Captain, "Do you need help?" he asked looking at Kenpachi's face. His grey eyes looked down at the feathered man. Ikkaku came up beside his friend. "I think Lieutenant Kusajishi would like the yellow daisy." He said pointing out the flower.

"It's not for Yachiru" he said shortly. Both Ikkaku and Yumichika's eyes went wide and looked at each other.

"Who is it for Captain Zakari?" Ikkaku asked.

"She" He started then stopped. "It's a long story." Kenpachi said avoiding their curious eyes. Ikkaku and Yumichika looked at each other for a moment rattling their brains. What girl would Captain Zakari want to get a flower for? "I'm supposed to get her a rose." Yumichika smiled.

"Well this flower says that you're friends and you care." Yumichika pointed out a yellow rose. Kenpachi picked up the rose in his large rough hand. "This one says I'm worthy of you." He said pointing at the white rose. Kenpachi reached for the rose, but pulled away when Yumichika said it also meant innocence. "The orange one means desire." Yumi said and Kenpachi clenched his jaw eyeing the rose. "The blue one is mystery." Kenpachi looked at the flower then back to the yellow one in his hand. He glanced back at the other orange and white ones. "The red one." Yumichika started. "Says I love you and it shows respect and symbolizes beauty and courage."

"Most girls like that one" Ikkaku said pointing over Yukichika's shoulder. Kenpachi picked up the red rose in his other hand. He stared down at them both. Yumichika and Ikkaku watched intensely as Captain Zakari put one rose down and threw a few coins at the vender. He took off looking for her. 'It's a long story' he thought to himself as he searched for the girl.

_It was a few days before and everyone seemed to be going nuts. Women were running around giving men chocolates and talking about love. All of this was growing quite annoying to Kenpachi Zakari. There was no one willing to fight with him or let alone in the dojo. So the captain decided to retire to his room for the day. Even Yachiru was out. So Kenpachi found himself alone in his quarters, for a while anyways. There was a small knock and the door slid open. A brunette head popped in and glanced around and spotted Kenpachi. _

"_Oh Captain! I didn't think you were here. I'm sorry for intruding." The girl said sliding the door a little wider and bowing. It was Akemi Tatakau, the new forth seat to his division. At first look Akemi didn't look like much. When she took her placement exams the first time she refused to fight because of the fear of hurting someone. Luckily Zakari had her moved to his squad where she learned not to fear and just to fight. Happily he came to realize she loved fighting as much as anyone in his squad._

"_What do you need Tatakau?" he asked glad to see someone wasn't absorbed into the events of the day. Maybe she wanted to fight? He grinned at that thought as she slid into the room. _

"_I had made some chocolate and I thought Yuchiru would like some." She said waving a little red box. He sighed._

"_She's not here." He said disappointed, watching as the brunette glanced into the next room._

"_Oh, I'll just put them in here so she can find them later." She said heading into the bedroom._

"_You can just leave it on the desk. I'll give them to her." Kenpachi said returning to his bored state. Akemi blushed and made for the room faster._

"_No, it'll be fine in here." She said dashing in the room. She came out of the room a few seconds later and went straight for the door. "Happy Valentine's day Captain Zakari." She said her golden eyes shocking him for a moment before running out the door. He sat alone in silence for a few moments thinking about what his new fourth seat had said. It was only a few minutes later when Yachiru came in munching on a bag of chocolates._

"_Look what Aki gave me Kenny!" she said showing him the clear baggy of chocolates. He gave her a questioning look._

"_She brought you some earlier. She put it on your bed." He said directing the short pink haired girl into the next room. She cheered and ran off. She came back in with the red box Akemi was holding earlier._

"_Kenny you're so silly, this isn't mine." she said putting the box on his desk. On the small white tag it read "Captain Zakari" in girly handwriting. After squinting to read "Captain" he realized it originally read "Kenpachi" underneath it. _

"_I think she likes you Kenny" Yachiru said pulling the ribbon on the box to revile an assortment of chocolates. "You should give her a rose Kenny. When a girl gives a boy chocolates he's suppose to give her a rose." She said looking up at the bigger man stealing one of his chocolates._

* * *

She was standing around talking to a group of boys somewhere along the maze called the Seireitei. At the sight of the tall captain of the eleventh division, the boys ran off. The brunette turned and spotted the man and just smiled.

"Hello Captain Zakari. Can I do anything for you?" she said bowing as he walked up. She rose as he came up to her. He towered over her, even though she was only a foot shorter than him, she felt tiny compared to Kenpachi.

"Um, I wanted to thank you for the gift." He said pulling out the rose. Akemi's face turned as red as the rose. She gently grabbed it from his large hand.

"Thank you Kenpachi." She said bowing, her brown hair hiding her face. She rose to still find his grey eyes on her. They stood awkwardly for a moment.

"It's getting late. We should head back to the barracks." Kenpachi said to the girl. She nodded and followed her captain. When he reached a fork in the path he looked both ways and started heading left. He noticed she wasn't moving. He turned and she bit her lip.

"The barracks are this way Captain." She said as she tried to hide her smile. Kenpachi grinned.

"Good thing someone has a good sense of direction in my squad." He muttered as his hand held her shoulder, keeping her by his side.


End file.
